Switch point lock



Oct. 31, 1939. L, T. FERGUSON SWITCH P0 INT LOCK Filed May 20, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 In venior l. ZTR/ A ttorneys Oct. 31, 1939. FERGUSQN 2,177,802

SWITCH POINT LOCK Filed May 20, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inventor L ff aa'oxr A iforneys Patented Oct. 31 1939 -UNITED STATES HJATIEIIJT OFFICE 7 2,177,802

SWITCH POINT LOCK Lawrence T. Ferguson, North Platte, Nebr.

Application May 20, 1938, Serial No. 209,108

4 Claims.

My invention relates generallyto means for locking a switch point in closed position, and

be installed in place in a comparatively few minutes.

Other important objects of my invention will be apparent from a reading of the following descrip- 2 tion taken in connection with the drawings,

wherein for purposes of illustration I have shown a preferred embodiment of my invention.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a longitudinalsectional view taken through an embodiment of the invention and through the rail and the switch point related thereto.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the embodiment per se.

Figure 3 is an enlarged transverse vertical sectional View taken through Figure 1 approximately on the line 33 and looking toward the left in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 4 is a perspective viewo-f the locking element.

Figure 5 is a top plan view of the adjustable abutment.

Figure 6 is a perspective view of the slidable detent for the locking element.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the numeral 5 generally designates a rail having the web 6 supporting the head I, and rising from the outer flange 8 and the inner flange 9, the said rail resting upon and being secured to a tie Ill. An open topped casing H of generally rectangular form is secured by fastening means It to a part of the anchor which is generally designated l4 and which is connected to the rail 5, thereby enclosing all of the mechanism except the rod 21.

The anchor M has an elongated rectangular base l5 which is cut away atone end thereof as indicated by the numeral Hi to provide the bearing ears I! and i8 which are traversed by a pivot bolt H) which is locked in place with a nut 29. From theopposite end of the base [4 rises a short standard 2! which abuts the edge of the flange 8 of the rail shown in Figure l and has leading from the top thereof the oblique portion 22 which rests on the slanting upper surface of the flange 3, from which portion 22 rises a second standard portion 23 which fits against the adjacent side of the web 6 of the rail and whose upper end is conformably shaped as indicated by the numeral 24 to engage the undersurface of the head 1 of the rail, the anchor thereby substantially conforming to the bottom of the rail and one side thereof in a manner to be securely'and rigidly connected to and suspended by the rail 5. As shown in Figure 1 of the drawings the bifurcated end of the anchor base [5 extends beyond the inner flange 9 of the rail.

Bolted as indicated by the numeral 25 to the bottom of the right hand end of the base 15 is a bracket 28 which slidably supports the operating rod 2'! which projects into the casing through an 20 opening 28 formed in the end of the casing and connects with the slidable block 38 which is movable backwardly and forwardly on the track 36, the block 38 being located between the arms of the yoke 83, the opposite end of the rod 21 being connected with a turnbuckle 29 which, in turn, is connected to a bolt 30 which is pivoted as indicated by the numeral M to the lower end of a lever 32 which is pivoted at its upper end as indicated by the numeral 33 on a bracket 34 mounted on the upper part of the tie H). The upper end of the lever 32 has a lateral arm 35 which is set at an upwardly inclined angle to provide mechanical advantage for operating the rod 21 to release the switch point look by depressing the arm or lever 35.

Adjacent the bifurcated end of the base l5,

the base i5 has attached to the bottom thereof which is shown in detail in Figure 6 as comprising a generally rectangular block 39 through which extends from front to rear a threaded bore 40 which goes all the way through the block and receives the left hand end of the operating rod 21. The front end of the block is cut away as indicated by the numeral M to provide the shoulder 42. The upper end of the block is provided with opposite lateral flanges 43 and M for slidably engaging with the slide guides 36 and 31. -The operating rod 2'! has on its left hand end a collar 50 45 against which bears the left hand end of the expanding helical spring 41 which is circumposed on the rod 2'! between the collar 45 and the bracket 26, this spring thereby acting to keep the a block 38 engaged with the locking element to be described. In its relaxed position the left hand end of the spring 38 also bears against the yoke 63 thereby holding the block up in position. It is to be noted that the rod 27 is in an out of the way and protected position so that it will not easily be struck accidentally by any object as a result of the passage of a train over the switch or other cause.

The locking element which is generally designated t8 comprises a transversely elongated block l9 from one side of which projects an elongated arm Si which is longitudinally traversed by a bore 5! which rotatably receives the pivot bolt it already alluded to. The arm 50 is of a size to conformably fit in the opening it in the base iii of the anchor. The top of the block 49 is provided with ribs 52, and bolt holes 53 traverse this block to receive the bolts 54 and 55 which pass through elongated openings 51 and 58 which traverse the abutment which is generally designated the bottom of the abutment being provided with complementary ribs 59 for engagement between the ribs 52 on the top of the block 59 for engaging between the ribs 52 on the top of the biock 33, the elongation of the holes 5? and 58 being provided to enable adjustment of the abutment 56 toward and away from the switch point. Depending from the bottom of the block 59 and the arm Ed is a rectangular cross section element BE? which is traversed by a bore 6? rotat-ably receiving the pivot bolt 62 which traverses the arms of a yoke 63, which yoke embraces also the detent Lil, with the bight of the yoke traversed by the rod 2?, the said bight portion being located between the back of the detent and the collar 5 on the shaft 2'8. The end of the element 3!! of the locking element is cut away as indicated by the numeral M and to provide the horizontal surface 65 and the vertical surface, respectively, which are engaged, respectively, by the top surface of the cut away 32 of the detent 38 and the vertical surface of this cut away in the engaged position of the detent, with the locking element in the locking position.

Referring to Figure l of the drawings, the nu,- meral 65 generally designates the switch point which is provided with a lateral projection 95 which when the switch point is in the closed position illustrated is very close to the abutment 55, so that the abutment acts to positively prevent the switch point from leaving the side of the rail 5. When it is desired to release the switch lock, by removing the abutment from holding relation to the projection 66 of the switch point 55, the lever 35 is depressed so as to draw the operating rod 27 toward the right thereby compressing the spring id and pulling the detent 38 along its guides 3t and 3? out of engagement with the surfaces 65 and 66 of the element 50 of the looking element and into engagement with the bight of the yoke 33 thereby positively tilting the locking element away from the switch point 65 and allow opening of the switch point. It is to be observed that no pressure exerted by the switch point in an opening direction, is efiective to open the switch point any more than is any inadvertent exertion of pressure on the switch, until the lock has been opened or released as described by operation of the pedal 35.

Although I have shown and described herein a preferred embodiment of my invention, it is to be definitely understood that I do not desire to limit the application of the invention thereto, and any change or changes may be made in the materials and in the structure and arrangement of the parts, within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. In combination, a switch comprising a stock rail and a switch point, a switch point lock comprising an anchor, means connected between said anchor and said stock rail and positively locking said anchor on said stock rail, a locking element pivoted on said anchor, an abutment on said locking element for engaging the switch point to hold the switch point closed, a detent movably mounted on said anchor and lockably engageable with a portion of said locking element only while said locking element is in operative position, and means connected with and normally holding said detent in operative position, said means comprising a spring pressed rod,

operating means for moving said rod to a detent withdrawing position, and an operating connection between said locking element and said rod.

2. In combination, a stock rail, a switch point engageable with one side of said stock rail, an

anchor mounted on said stock rail and extending normally engaging a portion of said switch point to hold the switch point closed, a movable detent mounted on said anchor and normally lockably engaging a portion of said locking element to hold the locking element in switch point holding position, means connected to and normally maintaining said detent in operative position, said means comprising a releasable member operable to withdraw said detent out of holding relation to said locking element, said means also having connection with said locking element to swing said locking element out of switch point holding position upon complete withdrawing operation of said means.

3. A lock for a switch, said switch comprising a stock rail and a relatively movable switch point, said lock comprising an anchor, means positively securing said anchor with portions thereof engaged with the bottom, the flange, and the web of said stock rail so as to be completely supported by said stock rail, a lock comprising a body pivoted on said anchor for swinging on a horizontal axis, said lock comprising an abutment arranged to lockably engage the side of the switch point in the erect operative position of the lock, said lock further comprising a projection extending under said anchor and formed with two diiferently angulated surfaces, a detent carried by said anchor above said projection and having two surfaces correspondingly angulated with respect to the first mentioned surfaces, means movably connecting said detent to said anchor to permit of moving said detent away from said projection to free the lock to permit tilting away from the switch point, said means permitting moving said detent to engage its two surfaces with the two surfaces of the projection only with the lock in its erect operative position whereby said lock is positively prevented from being tilted out of its erect switch point locking positive, and a spring pressed rod connected to said detent for urging the detent toward locking engagement with said lock.

4. A lock for a switch, said switch comprising a stock rail and a relatively movable switch point, said lock comprising an anchor, means positively securing said anchor with portions thereof engaged with the bottom, the flange, and the Web of said stock rail so as to be completely supported by said stock rail, a lock comprising a body pivoted on said anchor for swinging on a horizontal axis, said lock comprising an abutment arranged to lockably engage the side of the switch point in the erect operative position of the lock, said look further comprising a projection extending under said anchor and formed with two differently angulated surfaces, a detent carried by said anchor above said projection and having two surfaces correspondingly angulated with respect to the first mentioned surfaces, means movably connecting said detent to said anchor to permit of moving said detent away from said projection to free the lock'to tilt away from the switch point, said means permitting moving said detent to engage its two surfaces with the two surfaces of the projection only with the lock in its erect operative position whereby said lock is positively prevented from being tilted out of its erect switch point locking position, a springpressed rod connected to said detent for urging the detent toward locking engagement with said lock, and a yoke pivotally connected to said lock and secured to said rod, whereby operation of said rod in one direction releases the detent from the lock 

